Defense attorney: Change of venue survey is ‘underway’ in Ogle County first-degree murder case

OREGON — The attorney for a Stillman Valley man accused of killing his ex-wife and their 3-year-old son in 2016 told an Ogle County judge Thursday, Nov. 7, that a survey has been started in an attempt to move the trial to a different county.

Duane Meyer, 42, is charged with four counts of first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated arson and one count of concealment of a homicidal death in connection with an Oct. 19, 2016, Byron house fire in which Meyer's ex-wife, Margaret "Maggie" (Rosko) Meyer, 31, was found dead.

The couple's 3-year-old son, Amos Meyer, who also was home at the time of the fire, later was pronounced dead at a Rockford hospital.

Duane Meyer has been in custody at the Ogle County Jail since his arrest Oct. 9, 2019.

Meyers' attorney, Christopher DeRango, of Rockford, told Judge John "Ben" Roe at Thursday's status hearing that a survey for a change of venue has been started.

"The survey is underway," DeRango said. "They think it will take 2-5 weeks and that was 2 weeks ago, so I would ask for a continued status hearing."

Ogle County State's Attorney Mike Rock did not object to the continuance.

Roe set the next status hearing for 3 p.m. Dec. 12. The entire month of February 2025 has been set for the trial, starting on Feb. 3.

"The defense has no reason to believe that jury date would not work," DeRango told Roe.

A change-of-venue motion, asking the judge to move the trial to a different location, has yet to be filed. Those types of motions usually cite reasons that the filing party believes would prevent a fair trial in the county in which the case was filed. Pretrial publicity often is listed as a reason for a change-of-venue motion.

A change-of-venue survey is one of the tools that can be used by attorneys before filing a motion for a change of venue.

Maggie (Rosko) Meyer was a teacher at the Chana Education Center at the time of her death. She filed for divorce in 2014, and court records show the divorce was finalized in September 2016.

Prosecutors have argued their evidence will show that Meyer planned to end Maggie's life.

In previous hearings, DeRango and prosecutors have both said numerous cellphone records and data will be part of the evidence presented.

DeRango has argued that text messages sent by Meyer before the deaths were only part of a "contentious" divorce and not indicative of anything nefarious.